Steam production

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus, in some embodiments a hand-held apparatus, and a method for the production of steam through contacting reactants and a catalyst.

1 . An apparatus for the production of a product mixture comprising steam, said apparatus comprising a contacting means for bringing at least two liquid reactants into contact with a catalyst which catalyses an exothermic reaction between the at least two liquid reactants to produce the product mixture comprising steam. 
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the contacting means comprises a reactant reservoir for containing the at least two liquid reactants and delivery means for delivering the aqueous solution to the catalyst. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the contacting means comprises a first reactant reservoir for containing at least the first liquid reactant, a second reactant reservoir for containing at least the second liquid reactant and delivery means for delivering the liquid reactants to the catalyst. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the first and second reactant reservoirs comprise separated compartments in a single body. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the reactants comprise a peroxide and an organic compound. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the peroxide is hydrogen peroxide. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the reactants comprise an alcohol. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the alcohol is methanol. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the peroxide is hydrogen peroxide and wherein the molar ratio of hydrogen peroxide to methanol, when the liquid reactants contact the catalyst, is from about 10:1 to about 3:1. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the delivery means is a means for passing the reactants across the catalyst. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the delivery means comprises one or more pumps. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein at least one pump is a mechanical pump. 
     
     
         13 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the means for passing the reactants across the catalyst causes the reactants to pass across the catalyst with a substantially even flow rate. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein a substantially even flow rate is an instantaneous flow rate which is within ±10% of the average flow rate. 
     
     
         25 - 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the catalyst is of the formula x % Pt-y % Pd/[z % CZY-t % Al 2 O 3 —La 2 O 3  doped]. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , comprising a catalyst enclosure positioned around the catalyst. 
     
     
         29 - 33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the catalyst is in the form of a fixed bed reactor. 
     
     
         35 - 37 . (canceled) 
     
     
         38 . The apparatus a according to  claim 34 , wherein the catalyst is in the form of a microchannel reactor. 
     
     
         39 - 53 . (canceled) 
     
     
         54 . A method of producing a product mixture comprising steam, comprising the step of bringing at least two liquid reactants into contact with a catalyst which catalyses an exothermic reaction between the at least two liquid reactants to produce the product mixture comprising steam, using the apparatus of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         55 . A method of producing a product mixture comprising steam, comprising the step of bringing a solution containing at least two liquid reactants into contact with the catalyst which catalyses an exothermic reaction between the at least two liquid reactants to produce the product mixture comprising steam. 
     
     
         56 - 83 . (canceled)